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Armenia: Armenia is rich in stone structures,
temples and churches created through the ages. The ancient
stone carvings left on the rock formation of the Geghama
Mountains are the reflection of early mythological thought,
lifestyle, hunting practices, astronomical knowledge
and other features of local prehistory. In the Ararat
Valley, one comes across the remnants of the Medzamour
Bronze and Iron Age settlements - symbols of early urban
civilization in Armenia. Hand made carved vases and
jewelry boxes made from the wood of plum, apricot, and
walnut are plentiful in the crafts shops of Armenia.
Gold, precious and semi-precious stones provide inspiration
for jewelers throughout Armenia, while the alluring
obsidian stone is another staple used in jewelry, desk
accessories, and decorative items.
Kazakhstan:
From
time immemorial Kazakh craftspersons would manufacture
small plastic articles made of stone, bone, ceramics,
metal, table-ware moulded of clay, cut of wood and leather,
quite widespread were fretwork items made of wood, bone
and stone, they would process and stamp leather and
metals, weave all sorts of mats. Not infrequently they
would create fanciful castings of tin and bronze. Varieties
of combat weapons: pale-axes (ai-balta), bows (sadaka),
quivers (koramsak) were quite plentiful. Embroidery
is well-known in Kazakhstan from ancient times. Embroidered
ornament consist of many multicoloured threads exquisitely
embellished with glass beads, pearls, precious stones
fastened onto cloth, leather, felt and other materials.
Carpet weaving is inseparable from the ancient crafts
of Kazakhs. From ancient times till today, SYRMAK, a
traditional hand-made carpet decorates the interiors
of Kazakh houses. Pressing
and stamping leather is the oldest and most widespread
form of Kazakh craft. It is difficult to recall any
sphere of the Kazakh mode of life where leather as a
material is not used. Clothes, footwear, belts, straps,
horse harnesses and reins, saddles, arrow quivers, decorative
surfaces for trunks, various vessels and utensils, and
even carpets were made from leather. Kazakh traditional
craftsmen developed and attained very high technological
and artistic levels in this form of applied art.
Kyrgyzstan:
Kyrgyzstan was born on the 31st of August,
1991 as a sovereign modern democratic state. Though
young in years, it has a rich heritage and cultural
continuity that dates back to many thousand years of
antiquity and history.
Kyrgyzstan
is a land of high mountains and a long history of nomads.
The Kyrgyz are best known for their amazing ways with
felt which is considered by many as the best in the
world. Yurtas, shirdaks (quilted carpets), ala kiiz
(pressed felt carpets), toys, and household goods are
just some of the multitude of felt items handcrafted
by Kyrgyz artisans.
Placed along the Silk Route on the historic crossroads
of trade and cultural exchanges between China, Afghanistan,
Iran, Pakistan, India and the Arabian Sea, Kyrgyztan
is home for more than 8O minorities and ethnic communities.
Kyrgyz, Russian, Uzbek, Ukrainan, Germans, Tartars,
Kazaks, Uigur and Tadjik. As a multi-national state
Kyrgyzstan has a rich variety of languages, literature,
folklore, arts, crafts, customs and communities that
lend color and variety to Kyrgyz culture. The Kyrgyz
Republic firmly upholds the equality of all communities.
The official language is Kyrgyz yet Russian forms a
common language of all groups.
Tajikistan:
Tajikistan is famous for golden
embroidery, colorful textiles, and fun toys. The Tajik
artisans are very enthusiastic and produce a large number
of craft items using both traditional and modern techniques.
Textiles are the main handicraft items of the country.
Turkmenistan:
Turkmenistan's tribes have inherited
a unique blend of nomadic and city cultures of the Silk
Road and preserved extraordinary traditions in carpet
making, weaving, embroidery and jewellery. Even today
Nokhur women weave beautiful Keteni Silks, Teke-Tribe
families knit the famous Akhal Teke or Bukhara Rugs
and Ersari families create fascinating Yaka and Chirpy
Embroidery clearly identifying their clan. Tamdyr oven
chorek bread and Somsa making is still practised as
a traditional craft. The Yomud people reflect their
tribal patterns in their enormous Koshma felts.
Turkmen
silk and embroidery are outstanding within Central Asia,
with each different pattern identifying the clan and
tribe of its artist like a family seal. The raw silk
is dyed with natural and artificial dyes, threaded and
with the help of family and neighbours prepared and
woven into colourful, hard 30 cm wide silk used for
the dresses worn by Turkmen women on special occasions.
Uzbekistan:
Uzbek applied arts has a wealth of variety when it comes
to style, materials and ornamentation. Ceramics, silk
and cotton weaving, stone and wood carving, metal engraving,
leather stamping, calligraphy and miniature painting
are some genres passed from ancient times.
Ceramics of Uzbekistan are very diverse in their colour
and design. They are also regional in terms of shape,
design and colour. During the second half of the 20th
century, miniature plastic toys made by Samarkand craftsmen
became very popular. These pieces were not only amusing
as toys; they are also depicted scenes filled with people’s
characteristics, humour and naive stories. Another kind
of Uzbek craft typical for Samarkand is the art of making
crockery, smoking pipes (chilim) and snuffboxes (noskadu)
from little gourds.
Uzbek
craftsmen of today still practice ancient jewellery
making techniques for cutting gemstones, grain filigree,
granular work, engraving, embossing, chasing and enamelling.
Modern jewellers not only keep traditions, they also
take into account fashion demands and styles.
One of the most popular trends of applied arts in Uzbekistan
is embroidery. The several areas in Uzbekistan famous
for their embroidery are Nuratin, Samarkand, Bukhara,
Shakhrisabz, Surbandarya, Tashkent, Djizzak and Fergana.
Each school is distinguished by its unique features
such as ornamentation, composition, colour range and
stitching.
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